Crystal Palace

4-1

Stoke City

Moses 6, 50, Hughes 30, 35

 

Thornley 86


FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Season 2006-07
Third Round Proper
Tuesday 12 December 2006

12 September 2006
VIDEO: An FA U17 International Tournament

Watch Victor Moses notch during England's impressive win over Portugal during their tournament victory.

After last year's run to the quarter-finals of the competition, Crystal Palace started this season's FA Youth Cup in confident fashion on Monday evening with a 4-1 win over Stoke City.

Two England Youth Internationals were in action for the home side, John Bostock who played for Kenny Swain's U16 side last Friday (for more information click here) and Victor Moses who scored for the U17s in August (for more information click here).

Palace took the lead after six minutes through England U17 international Victor Moses, rising cleanly to head home James Dayton's cross. Just moments later Moses was felled in the box and presented with the chance to double the advantage, but his spot-kick was saved by Steven Ryan.

Palace looked comfortable, with Michael Kamara and Moses Swaibu imposing at the back, and the Eagles did add a second on the half-hour. Jerahl Hughes picked the ball up on the right and sprinted into the area before rifling an unstoppable shot past the Stoke goalkeeper.

Things got even better for Palace and Hughes five minutes later, as the winger raced onto Ben Kudjodji's through-ball before calmly slotting home his second goal of the game.

Stoke came straight at Palace in the second half, but it was the Eagles who capitalised early on and added to their tally five minutes into the second period. The lively Hughes found space on the right and his ball into the box fell kindly at the feet of Moses, who took his time before firing a shot into the top right corner of the Stoke net.

Stoke had chances to get back into the game, the simplest was a spot-kick awarded as Michael Kamara was adjudged to have fouled Sam Lovatt in the area. Unfortunately, for the visitors Ryan Mullan blazed well over the bar.

Stoke did get a consolation with four minutes remaining though, as Kamara conceded his second penalty of the night, this time for handball. Midfielder Thornley made no mistake striking the ball past Pearson, but Palace are through to the Fourth Round and a home tie against Plymouth Argyle.

Teams:

Crystal Palace: Pearson; Fish (c), Kamara, Swaibu, Hills; Hughes, Smith (Bostock 56), Carolan (Sweeney 76), Dayton; Moses, Kudjodji (Scannell 56).
Subs not used: Thorp, Pilgrim.

Stoke City: Ryan; Razzaq, Parsons (Doyle 45), Robinson, Watson; Mullan, Vass (c), Thronley, McGaw (Ford 48); Lovatt, Grocott (Brunt 45).
Subs not used: St Louis-Hamilton, Phillips.